You Really Should Take This "Shot In The Dark"

Shot In the Dark (2017)

TV-MA

The Story:

3 rival groups of stringers scour the streets of California after hours looking for sensational stories to sell to the local news stations in time for the morning news.

It's a cut throat business, but hey, it's a living.

Reminiscent of the fairly creepy movie, Nightcrawler, from a few years back, this tale of three competing news crews looking for the story of the night is riveting, right from the onset.

If it bleeds, it leads...

Everyone's heard that, and these are the people out there putting their life in danger to get the shots to the news stations in time to enjoy with your morning coffee.

In California, it's an ultra-competitive business and not only do you have to get the shot, you have to get it first, get it best, and get it sold before the other guy can strike.

These journalists, if you will, also have to be story teller, cameraman and editor, often all at the same time and from the comfort of the front seat of their car.

The rivalries between the 3 companies are real, but in a sense they all drive each other to put out the best product possible.

There are certain things they do along the way that will make you realize what a cutthroat business they truly compete in.

As with all good reality shows, there's a character I felt was the villain, and much like Dave from Storage Wars, you can both respect but dislike him at the same time. I'll let you decide who you think the villain is for yourself though.

Finally, the climactic cliffhanger for episode one, well if it doesn't shock you and make you click the button to get to the 2nd episode, then no, this isn't your show.

:)

This Netflix Original has 8 episodes between 35-41 minutes or so in length. Easy to binge the complete series in one sitting. I tried to take it no more than 2 episodes at a time to let the series build over a few days.

And the setup for a second season?

Oh yeah, I'm dying to know what happen(s/ed) next!

Final Grade: A-

Shooting The War With A Camera..."Five Came Back"

Five Came Back (2017)

Not Rated

Starring William Wyler, George Stevens, John Huston, John Ford, Frank Capra

Based on the book by Mark Harris

The Story:

In World War II, 5 acclaimed Hollywood directors willingly gave up their careers and joined the military. Their job was to document and present what they saw and what was happening at the time. In harms way, and with no guarantee that they would even survive their experiences, these directors answered the call of their country.

Presented by 5 acclaimed directors of today, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Paul Greengrass, Guillermo Del Toro, and Laurence Kasdan and narrated by Meryl Streep, this documentary chronicles briefly their successful careers pre-WWII and everything they were tasked to do for the allied war efforts during the war.

It's a 3 hour documentary split into 3 hour-long episodes that works as a chronological effort of before the war/early war, the main war effort, and the conclusion of the war and life afterwards.

What they saw, what they shot forever changed each of them.

Upon their return from service, they went back to Hollywood and all turned in what is arguably the best work of their career, though in the case of Capra, his work was not appreciated until generations later when It's A Wonderful Life became a staple on television during the holidays.

Highly recommended, especially if you're a film or history lover, and if you're both, this is right up your alley.

It's a Netflix Original series and one you shouldn't miss.

Final Grade: A

And Now The Musical Stylings Of "The Wrecking Crew!"

The Wrecking Crew! (2008)

Rated PG

Starring Tommy Tedesco, Brian Wilson, Glen Campbell, Carol Kaye, Dick Clark, Herb Alpert, Hal Blaine

Directed by Denny Tedesco

The Story:

In the late 50s, Rock and Roll music was born. While we are familiar with the names of the singers and bands that gave us this amazing music from that moment all the way through the 60s, many of them had a deep, dark secret: They all employed The Wrecking Crew as their session musicians to make their music sound so good.  You know the songs by heart, and now it's time to learn the story of those musicians who put their soul into the recordings with rarely any credit given to them outside of the industry.

Until now.

Denny Tedesco started a documentary about his dad, guitar master Tommy Tedesco.

Yet the more he filmed, the bigger the story got.

So he expanded it, and archive footage and interviews with industry legends and members of the Wrecking Crew are spliced together in near chronological order to give not only a behind the scenes peek at the recording industry, but a history of rock from its birth to the end of the 60s and beginnings of the 70s.

Basically, if you think The Monkees were the only band to not really play their instruments on records, you're about to have a wake up call as to who was really responsible for the music.

In some cases, the Wrecking Crew even played the music better than the artists themselves.

It's informative.

It's eye-opening.

It's worth your time.

The movie is currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: A

They Were (Mostly) Unstoppable..."Red Army"

Red Army (2014)

Rated PG

Written & Directed by Gabe Polsky

The Story:

The story of the greatest sports dynasty of all time: The Soviet Union's Red Army hockey team. The only chink in their armor came in 1980 with the "Do You Believe In Miracles" moment in Lake Placid where they fell to the American Olympic team. This is their story, as told by the members of that elite group.

Polsky leaves few stones unturned as he tracked down each member of the team, some more willing to comment and weave stories than others.

The story focuses mostly on team captain Viacheslav Fetisov and his struggles to carry the team, then his desire to leave the team and the animosity it created between him and his country.

The unparalleled success the Russian hockey team enjoyed is examined thoroughly and the debate could be in spite of or because of the way they were treated as to how well they played on the ice.

They would tour the world and beat professional hockey teams soundly in exhibition games.

Then when they were finally able to play professionally, teams snapped them up, but the players were never that successful as they were back home.

Many were not treated the best on their teams to begin with, but their talents could not be harnessed as effectively as when they skated together.

Enter Scotty Bowman, then coach of the Detroit Red Wings.

He brought the Red Army team under his leadership and basically let them skate.

They began to play as they once had, and his advice was to simply keep doing what it is you do.

He sat back and let them skate their way to a Stanley Cup.

Yes, the Soviet team was that good, and so was this documentary, whether you are a hockey fan or not.

Final Grade:  B+

Time To Watch A Bootleg Copy..."Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman's Fantastic Four"

Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman's Fantastic Four (2015)

Not Rated

Starring Alex Hyde-White, Joseph Culp, Oley Sassone, Michael Bailey Smith, Rebecca Staab, Jay Underwood, Mark Sikes, Chris Gore,

Written and Directed by Marty Langford

The Story:

In late 1993, Roger Corman was approached to get The Fantastic Four produced, shot and made as quickly, and inexpensively as possible. Promising a theatrical release, and the end to poor Marvel movies as they knew it, the cast and crew threw all of their blood, sweat, tears, and sometimes even own money into making the best movie they could on what little budget they had. Little did they know that even far more sinister forces than Dr. Doom abounded to conspire to ensure that this movie never saw the light of day, but that it would spin tales that the production was never even supposed to happen.

Cue the ominous music!

In the history of cinema, how many low budget films did Roger Corman produce and/or direct that never saw the light of day?

Only 1.

This is that story.

Nobody puts any money or effort into a movie to not release it.

Yet that is the lie that has been told around Hollywood for over 20 years.

This documentary goes to the sources: the actors, the director, the crew and sets the story as straight as it can, or at least gets you as much of the information that has been previously unheard for generations.

Everyone involved put forth so much love and energy into the project because while they knew they were making a movie on a small budget, they all had dreams and aspirations that it could be a launching pad for that next big thing.

Little did they know...

It turns out that it was a power play to get a bigger budget version of the film to finally be made by a bigger studio.

It would still be a decade later, and I do have a soft spot in my heart for 2005's Fantastic Four, but this version, well, it simply has to be better, or at least more faithful, than the 2015 reboot which I awarded as last year's ultimate Turkey of the Year.

:: shudder ::

That the actors and crew all still remember their time with great fondness is a testament to how much they believed in what they were doing. Joseph Culp, who played Doctor Doom is still open to returning to the booth to re-record some of his dialogue that doesn't play very clearly in the movie.

What truly happened may never be fully known, but this documentary helps you to realize that the film in question was by no means the joke that everyone has played it off to be over the years.

Now available for streaming for those with Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: A-

True Story! The Best Documentaries Of 2016

I do like to take a moment at the end of the year to shine a spotlight back on the best documentaries of the year.

They usually go unheralded or unappreciated, but thanks to so many different services, so many of them can be enjoyed at home.

They often are so unbelievable, you couldn't script a more entertaining story if you try.

Here's a look back at some of my favorites:

We'll start with a special shout out to ESPN 30 for 30.

Four Falls of Buffalo
The '85 Bears
Believeland

Those were the only 3 that I watched this year, but much like others I've seen in years past, they are some of the most entertaining episodes you're likely to see.

I debated whether or not to put this on the best of television since it is an ESPN program, but decided in the end to go this route.

Each episode is a movie in itself, and rarely has anything to do (besides being about sports) with one another.

I've still got plenty of them that I haven't watched, but I haven't seen a bad one yet.

Most 30 for 30s are currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Dark Horse

When you take a poor Welsh town that gathers a group together and pools their money in the longshot attempt to raise a champion race horse well you can kind of tell where this movie is going to go.

After all, it's rare that documentaries get made about losers, right? :)

It's impossible not to root for them as they relive their road to glory and heartbreak.

The people are so genuine and warm, and the story is so magnificently laid out, it's the stuff that Disney films are made for.

But this one is all true.

Being Canadian

A documentary that sets out to discover what Canadians are, confirms that most of the stereotypes that the rest of the world has about Canadians is mostly true.

And really, that's not a bad thing at all when you consider how the rest of the world views them and they view themselves.

Here's a hint, around the world, once they reveal that they aren't American, they are usually treated very well.

:(

Which I suppose says as much about them as it does about us.

: )

This is currently streaming on Amazon for those with Prime.

National Lampoon: Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead


If you have a sense of humor whatsoever, you will probably find this look back at National Lampoon right up your alley.

Especially considering that much of the late 20th century/21st century humor/comedy was spawned from the very pages/ideas/minds of those that worked there.

Of course, if you hate Saturday Night Live and all that it has done to keep comedy coming to you weekly with rotating casts for over 40 years, then you also know where to place some of your blame and hatred.

:)

Electric Boogaloo

If you rented a movie in the 80s, you know their movies.

Now is your chance to know the whole story. It's an even wilder ride than you could have possibly imagined.

It's quite an impressive feat that they pulled off in making their vast catalog of movies.

It wasn't until they broke their own rules and attempted to make their movies look like they had a huge budget, that it all blew up in their faces.

Still streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

We Are Twisted F***ing Sister 

I suppose unless you hate Twisted Sister, there's no way you can watch this documentary and not feel for the band and root for them to succeed.

Beginning at their origins and leading up to adding Dee Snyder as their front man, this film chronicles the rise and fall, and more rises and fall than the best roller coaster you've ever been on.

And it stops just before they hit it big with MTV and the whole world gets to know them.

Very well done.

Still streaming on Netflix as of this writing.



Looking forward to what 2017 has to offer!!

Since Half Of America Is Going To Move There Now..."Being Canadian"

Being Canadian (2015)

Not Rated

Written and Directed by Robert Cohen

The Story:

Cohen left Canada to come to America and become a comedy writer. Along the way, the more he met people, the more he began to realize how misunderstood the world sees Canadians. He set out on a cross country trek across his homeland to see if he could discover what it truly means to be a Canadian.

Now, as I'm not Canadian, I cannot vouch for the confirmation of 90% of all stereotypes that Canadians are known for that Cohen runs across in the film.

But yeah, he pretty much ticks them off, like a checklist, and most are confirmed as true.

However, don't let that get you down, as the majority of Canadian stereotypes are not exactly a bad thing.

Excessively polite.
Very funny.

You could actually stop right there, and yes, those two are indeed addressed in the documentary.

Each trek of his journey tackles another facet of being Canadian, and he gets answers from everyday Canadians as well as many who have become quite famous on either side of the border.

It's light, it's breezy, it's fun.

Final Grade: A-

What Are The Odds..."Dark Horse"

Dark Horse (2015)

Rated PG

Written & Directed by Louise Osmond

The Story:

In the Welsh village of Cefn Fforest, the townsfolk band together and pledge £10 a week to dream the impossible dream of raising a horse to run in competition.

This is their story.

And it's a heartwarming story to be sure.

Add up the cliches, the underdog story, and you've got the formula right here.

A bunch of poor townfolk, many unemployed dare to join the sport of the aristocracy and enter a world they could only dream of.

Nobody had a clue what they were doing.

Not the owners.

Not the horse.

But with a good trainer, could the impossible happen?

Well, they rarely make movies like that unless it does.

So sit back and get ready to laugh a little, maybe cry a little and enjoy the love and camaraderie of some of the most enjoyable cast of characters you'll see all year.

Final Grade: B+

When Art Students Go Mad..."The Rape Of Europa"

The Rape of Europa (2006)

Not Rated

Written and Directed by Richard Berge & Bonni Cohen

The Story:

The incredible true story of the Nazis who basically plundered or destroyed thousands of pieces of artwork throughout Europe before and during World War II.

After watching this documentary, it almost lays out the entire timeline of World War II as one big exercise by the Nazis to obtain or eradicate the largest art collection in the entire world. Hitler and Goering, among others, were art collectors who kept the very best pieces for their own personal collection, but the grand design was to open the greatest art museum the world had ever seen.

Well, we know how well that worked out, but it was still a costly battle to stop a museum from being built!

The countless pieces that have possibly been lost to time are sickening.

However, many pieces are still being discovered with each passing generation, many of whom don't even realize what treasures they have been hiding, either hanging on a wall or actually still in a hiding place.

The documentary naturally discusses the Monuments Men operation that was launched by the United States to try and save as much of the art as they could find, and that became the basis for the movie of the same name a few years ago.

Most impressive was the complete and total evacuation of the Louvre museum and their attempts to keep those treasures out of the hands of the advancing Germany army.

A really entertaining, yet somber, documentary.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: Solid B

They Dont' Make 'Em Like This Anymore..."Electric Boogaloo"

Electric Boogaloo: The Wild Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014)  

Rated R

Starring Chuck Norris, Charles Bronson, Sybil Danning, Nearly Anyone Who Ever Worked On A Low Budget 80s Cannon Film Masterpiece.

Written & Directed by Mark Hartley

The Story:

This is the story of Menaham Golan and Yoram Globus, two Israeli cousins who really loved Hollywood movies. They loved them so much, they decided to make their own. So began the fabled rise of Cannon Films. And ultimately with the rise of Cannon, the fall was not far behind.

So, if you grew up in the 80s and rented movies, which pretty much includes everyone likely reading this review, you know what Cannon Films is/was/will always be...

The Greatest Studio Ever!

Okay, that might be overreaching, but Cannon cranked out some serious movies in their day. While other studios would put out 6-8 in a busy year, Cannon was trying to crank out 6-8 in 2 months!

As they were filming one, they'd be lining up 2 or 3 more.

Making up the scripts as they go, check!

Making some of the shlockiest B-Movies we've ever had the pleasure of watching, check!

Making Chuck Norris a star, check!

Resurrecting the career of Charles Bronson, check!

Giving the movie public what they didn't know they needed: Breakdancing movies...check!!!

And really, any studio that gave us the title Electric Boogaloo, that's aces in my book!

I still use that title today when I await sequels to movies.

Now, sit back and reflect as writers, directors, stars and other folks that were there reflect on what Cannon Films meant to them, their careers and movies in general.

In essence, Cannon paved the way for other studios, like Miramax, who would come along and break the old studio system.

The difference, while Miramax concentrates on quality, Cannon was trying to overwhelm us with quantity!

Where it all went off the tracks was when they decided instead of making a film for a few million dollars that made its money back and then some, it was time to make a big budget film...

Superman IV !!!

I have now, thanks to footage in this documentary, seen more of Superman IV than I had ever seen before in my life.

And yes, it's as bad as I feared!!!

The problem was, they wanted to make a good movie with a big budget...they just ran out of money and then went ultra-cheap.

And the end was near...

The cousins attempted to go it alone, and each created their own company and their first movies out of the gate would be about the latest craze that was going to sweep the nation...

The Lambada!

That's right, one cousin gave us Lambada! The other, The Forbidden Dance.

They hit theaters at the same time, divided the marketplace, and doomed both companies.

Of course, decades later when the cousins learned of this documentary, they rallied together like old times and put out their own documentary...

And it made it to theaters first.

:)

I haven't seen that one, but this one is currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: A-

It's Bound To Be A Funny One..."Mel Brooks: Make A Noise"

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (2013)

TV-PG

Starring Mel Brooks

Written and Directed by Robert Trachtenberg

The Story:

Part of the PBS "American Masters" series, this in-depth biography finally lets Mel Brooks talk about his favorite subject: himself!

Okay, that may or may not be true, but for the first time that I can recall, here's Mel opening up about his life, his career and his films, in his words, as well as some of his collaborators over the years.

If you've never seen his work, this will help showcase his efforts in one career spanning retrospective and you'll begin to understand why he's so funny and a comedy legend.

If you're a fan of his work, this is icing on a delicious cake of a career.

The great thing about Brooks career, is even his bad stuff is good, when compared to other offerings.
It's only when you compare one Brooks film to another that you can really see the difference, which also elevates how truly great his best films really are.

The biography also reveals a lot of interesting facts that you may be unaware of, or have simply forgotten over the years.

Definitely worthwhile.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing. You can probably also find it, and other American Masters episodes on the PBS.org website.

Final Grade: B+

The Same, Yet Different..."That Gal...Who Was In That Thing"

That Gal Who Was In That Thing (2015)

Not Rated

Starring Jayne Atkinson, Paget Brewster, L. Scott Caldwell, Alicia Coppola, Roxanne Hart, Catherine Hicks, Roma Maffia, Donna Massetti, Cristine Rose,

Directed by Ian Roumain

The Story:

In the original documentary, That Guy Who Was In That Thing, director Ian Roumain took a look at a bunch of character actors. You know, the supporting characters in tv and movies. The best friends, the lawyers, the cops, the doctors, even the bad guys...but never the star. And he looked at their careers and why they love to do what they do.

Well, Roumain returns a few years later, and this time, he brings the ladies along for the ride. It's much the same, although there is a bit more resentment and bitterness brought to the table this go round.

Shocking, I know, but apparently life in Hollywood is much harder for the actresses than it is for the guys.

Unless they are insanely hot and young, most of these ladies end up playing moms and grandmothers when they reach their 30s or later.

If they are even employed at all once they hit 40.

That sucks and you'd think that in the 21st century, we would be long past that, but apparently not.

Also, we're apparently still not away from the "casting couch", where if these ladies really want a job, they better be willing to do anything, and anyone, to get it.

Ick.

So yes, it's got a harder edge and less fun to watch this time around, but still good nonetheless.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade:  B

Two For Tuesday - "Richard Pryor: Omit The Logic & Richard Pryor: Icon"

Richard Pryor: Icon (2014)

PBS

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic - B+

Rated R

Directed by Marina Zenovich



The Stories:

Both documentaries take a look at the rise and tragic end to one of the greatest comedic performers of the 20th Century, Richard Pryor. Archival footage from many of his performances are used, as well as interviews from people that knew Pryor and those that were influenced by his comedy.

Both are good ways to get your feet wet on the history and impact of Richard Pryor.

Icon, part of the PBS series, clocks in just under an hour and follows the rise to stardom in the 60s until the end. They often repeat many of the pictures during the show and while a nice primer, it doesn't really break any ground or do much to showcase Pryor, except for hearing lots of people telling you how great he was.

Omit the Logic on the other hand is almost 90 minutes, and since it isn't airing on PBS uses much more audio and video of Pryor's comedy routines which helps solidify the fact that everyone found him to be hilarious. A little bit more of his life is mentioned in this documentary and it feels more well-rounded. The one piece either film was missing would have been to get some commentary from Gene Wilder since the two were linked so strongly together through film.

At the end of the day, you can't go wrong with either, or both.

Pryor was a genius, and he paved a way for generations of comics to follow.

Icon is currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grades:

Richard Pryor: Icon: B-

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic: B+

An Overnight Sensation, 10 Years In The Making! "We Are Twisted F***ing Sister!"

We Are Twisted F***ing Sister (2014)

Not Rated

Starring Twisted Sister (Jay Jay French, Dee Snider, A.J. Pero, Eddie Ojeda, Mark Mendoza)

Written and Directed by Andrew Horn

The Story:

Twisted Sister started out as a bar band in New York. A glam rock band influenced by David Bowie but with a much harder edge, the band's cult following in New York in the early 70s began to really take shape when they added frontman Dee Snider on vocals. He insisted on wearing the clothes and makeup that Twisted Sister is known for, and eventually all of the members joined in. They quickly became the most famous band in the tri-state area, selling out venues that artists without record deals shouldn't even play in, let alone sell out. This is the story of how success turned to failure and more failure and even more failure as they kept reaching for the brass ring and kept getting knocked down in the process.

It's fascinating. It's heartwarming.

It's awesome.

Andrew Horn used crowdfunding and the participation of Twisted Sister to make this amazing documentary.

If you're like me, you know and remember Twisted Sister for their 2 singles in the mid 80s that catapulted them to stardom. Well, aside a brief mention at the end of the movie, that period isn't even mentioned.

If you were in New York or Europe from the mid 70's through 1982, then you might have already known all about this group, and how the world seemingly conspired against them to keep them from realizing mainstream success.

That's what this film is about.

Each member of the band is interviewed separately and that allows for some great insight from each on what they thought of their life in the band and the long road to fame.

Fans are also interviewed because without the fans, it's likely that Twisted Sister never does become famous.

Also interviewed are the managers and executives that tried to get their careers off the ground, to varying degrees of success.

It's such an amusing comeuppance to the record company executive that refused to sign the band, and their success was a giant F. U. right back at the suits who attempted to keep them down.

Those that believed were vindicated, and all the while, Twisted Sister just kept moving forward.

Rock on.

The documentary is streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

You don't have to be a fan of metal or even the band to enjoy this one. If you do, your enjoyment will be increased.

It's the heart of the story that carries this one above and beyond the ordinary.

Final Grade: A-

Skip "Black Mass" and See "Whitey: The United States v. James J. Bulger" Instead

Whitey: The United States of America vs James J. Bulger (2014)

Rated R

Directed by Joe Berlinger

The Story:

Go behind the headlines as the United States tries to take down James "Whitey" Bulger once and for all.

The meandering mess that was Black Mass sort of steamrolls over this documentary which is better fleshed out and more compelling than the fictional accounts.

Berlinger approaches the story from the angles of the victims, friends and families of the victims, and the officials who tried to prove once and for all whether Bulger was a mobster or an informant or both.

Seeing this shortly after the Depp version, a lot of the wind was taken out of the sales on this one.

It's still a good documentary, don't get me wrong.

It simply won't rank on my best of the year finale, and I can't pinpoint if it was due to watching the two so close together, so I hate faulting a film for coming second on my depth chart even though it was released years earlier and I simply missed it.

That said, like Making A Murderer, it's amazing to see how much law enforcement, in this case the FBI will indeed cover up their own tracks to hide something.

In this case, they take a look at Top Informant files of other notorious gangsters and compare those thousands of pages files, often with multiple volumes, to the meager few hundred pages on Bulger.

Things definitely don't add up.

To Whitey's defense, he adamantly insists that while he may be many things, and could be guilty of just about everything...

He's not a rat.

It's all about semantics with that man, and in a bizarre way, you can almost respect him for that.

So if you want a nice crime documentary in the near future, give this one a whirl.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B-

If You Can Breathe, You Can Play..."Pocket Full Of Soul: The Harmonica Documentary"

Pocket Full of Soul: The Harmonica Documentary (2009)

Not Rated

Written and Directed by Marc Lempert

The Story:

A musical instrument so simple, it's often regarded as a child's toy, the harmonica has made a huge impact on American music since it's introduction to the states in the 1850s. This wonderful documentary will take you on a historical tour of the instrument and those musicians who have wielded it to create some electrifying music over the decades. While you may not be familiar with many of the names, the list of musicians who have used it is a veritable who's who of musical talent.

I hadn't planned on watching a documentary on the harmonica on April 18th, but when you find out that it's National Harmonica Day and there is a documentary on the subject, interest gets piqued.

Then when you discover that it is narrated by my personal favorite harmonica player, Huey Lewis, it's a no-brainer!

The documentary is both as structured and relaxed as that of the many players that are interviewed alongside the archival footage.

Usually disregarded as an actual musical instrument, when a player takes to the harmonica and learns how to wield that little pocket harp, the effects can be amazing and one person with a harmonica can outdo an entire band with the amount of force and energy that they can elicit.

The harmonica is also not strictly for 1 genre of music. While it would be hard to imagine the Blues being performed without a harmonica, it gets some love from jazz, classical, rock, country, and even hip-hop.

Another film that was backed by the fans and the people who love the subject matter and not the studio, you can tell this was a labor of love by all involved.

I was lucky enough to catch this on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZQSUib0U-g&feature=youtu.be

Not sure if there is a charge or anything now that National Harmonica Day is over, but if you're a fan of music or music history, this shouldn't be missed.

Final Grade: A-

William...Shatner Presents..."Chaos.....On The Bridge"

Chaos On the Bridge (2014)

Unrated

Written and Directed by William Shatner

The Story:

In 1987, the fledgling UPN wanted to revive the Star Trek franchise and have it boldly go where no previous Star Trek had gone before: First Run Syndication! Go with William Shatner as he talks to the actors, directors and producers who struggled to get the franchise off the ground.

I liked Star Trek growing up. Watched the original series in syndication after school when the cartoons, Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island were over.

I've even seen a few of the movies.

In 1987, I think I saw an episode or two of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I've probably seen 5-7 total episodes from their 7 year run. And that's most likely bits and pieces, but rarely an entire episode. I know I saw Generations as well.

You would think that a revival of a franchise that a generation loved would be smooth sailing, especially when you have Gene Roddenberry at the helm to oversee the production.

Well, it turns out that one of the biggest obstacles to the show even seeing the air was Roddenberry himself.

It's an eventful, fun and surprising hour of your time at the backstage politics of bringing a show to life, especially back then for a network trying to establish itself as a real channel.

This was before the days of Netflix, Amazon and dozens of other channels trying to launch their own shows to grab your attention.

So it's a time capsule of another time trying to launch a show that would itself become beloved for another generation.

Shatner makes for a genial host, only inserting himself into the proceedings when he really feels it necessary, otherwise he simply walks us from point to point on how the show went from an idea, to a show, to a franchise.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B- (your love of Trek could push this one much higher)

Always A Bridesmaid... "Four Falls of Buffalo"

The Four Falls of Buffalo (2015)

Directed by Ken Rodgers

The Story:

In 1991, the Buffalo Bills played in Super Bowl 25. They would play again in the next 3 Super Bowls, the only team to ever make it to 4 straight Super Bowls.

However, they also have lived in infamy for failing to win any of them.

This is their story of how things didn't go so well for them, and yet, they may very well be the greatest team to never win the big game.

Another fine entry in the ESPN 30 for 30 series, but that is becoming a redundant statement.

This time, the focus is on the 1991-1994 version of the Buffalo Bills.  Perhaps some of these names ring a bell:

Marv Levy
Jim Kelly
Thurman Thomas
Bruce Smith
Andre Reed
Don Beebe
Steve Tasker
Scott Norwood
Frank Reich

They're all here, and they all reflect on what it took to get them to 4 straight Super Bowls.
This team was good.
Really good.

I wasn't even that big of a fan of the team back in the day, and I was amazed by how many names and faces I instantly recognized. It was an amazing group that looked like it could beat anyone on paper.

But in the NFL, on any given Sunday, well, that's why they play the game.

All of that said, if you like the NFL, you'll love this documentary.

Even if you don't (cue the thumbs up from my wife) you'll still be captivated by what this team went through and how the team and the fans responded to the situation.

For those that lived through those times, the Bills became the butt of the joke, but 25 years later, what they did was an amazing accomplishment.

When teams can't even get back to repeat Super Bowls (win or lose) and some can't even make it to the playoffs the following season, the Bills are one of the greatest underdog stories of all times.

The biggest problem, the American public (and Buffalo players and fans especially) never got the Hollywood happy ending of seeing the underdog win.

Time heals all wounds and a lot of time has passed and hopefully the wounds in Buffalo are mostly healed.

The interviews with Scott Norwood are especially painful. He still takes that first loss so hard, bearing it all on his shoulders alone, and you can't help but feel for him.

The wonderful thing though, is his teammates and city don't blame him. As they say in the interviews, the game never should have been decided by that kick. There were plenty of other plays that failed that cost Buffalo that win.

The following year, Harry Connick Jr.'s band was the culprit behind Thurman Thomas' missing helmet which when you watch the replays may very well have cost them that entire game.

So many things to relive and to get a new appreciation for in this one.

Highly recommended and well worth your time.

Streaming on Netflix as of this writing, and still airing on ESPN, check your local listings.

Final Grade: A

Justice Is Served?..."Making A Murderer"

Making A Murderer (2015)

TV-14

Directed by Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi

The Story:

Steven Avery was accused by the Manitowoc Wisconsin police department of committing rape. He maintained his innocence, and sat in prison for 18 years until DNA evidence was finally tested and showed that he didn't commit the crime. Someone else did. And the police department knew about it years earlier, and did nothing. Once freed, Avery sued the department for 36 million dollars. However, a murder occurs in Manitowoc, and Avery is once again charged with a crime that he claims he did not commit.

Did he? Di the 18 years behind bars teach him how he could possibly get away with murder?

Or did lightning strike again and send an innocent man back to jail a second time for a crime he didn't commit?

The Netflix documentary that is sweeping the nation has swept its way through my house, and it's an incredible journey.

Filmed over the course of 10 years, I'm assuming the directors came to film Avery's tale as he was being released for the first crime and just happened to stumble into the second crime quite by accident.  The amount of coverage they have is amazing. I've read they culled from over 700 hours (!!!) of footage to provide us with 10 compelling hours of true crime television.

The main complaint I've seen against this film is:

1) It should be a commentary not a documentary because it basically plays for the defense and may not give every ounce of details that were presented in the case.

My rebuttal:

Wah.

It doesn't matter what you call it, this is nothing that you haven't seen for years on Dateline, 20/20 or the like. It can be edited however you like, it's still telling a true story.

This is like the worst possible Law & Order episode you've ever watched. You swear the cops are crooked and the prosecution and the judge(s) are in on the cover-up.

But you don't want to believe it's possible.

However, with each new episode, your blood pressure rises at the amount of circumstantial and yes, likely false/planted evidence that conveniently winds up in favor of the prosecution.

It's baffling, it's mind-boggling, it's frustrating.

Avery could very well be guilty...

BUT...

There is so much more to the story. Others will be charged as well, and if you think THAT person is guilty, you're obviously not paying much attention to how he is interrogated by the police and forced into saying and writing things that are obviously not his own words or thoughts.

It's heartbreaking.

Plus...

If you don't think the victim's brother is in on it...

Ah, but I'll say no more.

Plus, I'm not sure that the story is truly over yet. You've likely seen the headlines and petitions. Netflix viewers think the man is innocent, and the groundswell of support is impressive.

Let's see what happens next.

The year is young, but this is the show to beat for Best TV of the Year.

Final Grade: A

"Back In Time" Could Have Been So Much Better...

Back In Time (2015)

Documentary

Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale

Directed by Jason Aron

The Story:

Everyone by now has seen Back to the Future, or at least I would hope. This documentary, released just in time to coincide with "Future Day" from Part 2 brings a lot of behind the scenes interviews with the cast, crew and the fans of Back to the Future.

It rehashes some things you might already know.

It will bring out some things you probably did not.

And overall, as a Kickstarter backed movie, it's a really good effort to try and tackle one of the best films of the 80s, of all time, you qualify it, and Back to the Future fits.

A movie so good, the script is used as reference for screenwriting courses in college.

Where I sort of lost interest with the film is when they concentrated on the fans of the films and spend time looking at conventions and recreations of the movie.

Meh.

While nice, I would have preferred more meat about maybe the entire trilogy, and save the fans for a bonus feature.

Thankfully, the film is streaming on Netflix as of this writing, so that saved me $25 bucks ordering blind from Amazon.

:)

Certainly worth a watch if you're a fan, and really, who doesn't love this movie?

Just know that the documentary loses a bit of focus, for me anyway, after the halfway point.

Final Grade: B